Up until a few days ago, fifth gear was an exciting and elusive concept. And a TV programme.
During the first attempt at hitting it fifth remained elusive as the gear box made the crunchy noise it hadn’t uttered since my earliest attempts at grasping the concept of clutch control.
However, once the idea of banging it into neutral and then making the change up filtered into my mind I began to enjoy the feeling of speed as I cranked up the miles per hour.
What the increased speed really showed me is that my handling is fair improved from the first few lessons, there was no listing to the left and no fear that I was too far over when oncoming traffic approached. I knew that I was where I was meant to be on the road.
Although I seem to have hit a bit of a plateau in recent weeks as far as significant improvement is concerned – a problem not helped by regular ten day gaps between drives – I have started to iron out a few minor kinks and that is starting to make the drive smoother and the panicking less apparent.
I’m hoping to find time before Christmas to fit in a lesson a day for a fortnight so that I can build on my positives and eradicate the negatives with a prolonged period of driving.
I’m also hoping to persuade a willing soul that they should take me up to Metheringham airfield during from time to time and let me practice – any takers?
*without the anonymity issues
Wait until you get a car with six gears!